


Interdimensional Slipstream

by Gothams_Only_Wolf



Series: Adventures in Space [1]
Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Space, F/M, Genderfluid, M/M, Nonbinary Character, Shatterdome Family, Space Merfolk, Sparkling Clothes, Tendo Knows All, Tendo is a Good Friend, awkward cuties
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-28
Updated: 2015-03-28
Packaged: 2018-03-20 03:16:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3634566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gothams_Only_Wolf/pseuds/Gothams_Only_Wolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Space merfolk Hermann and space explorer Newt! </p><p>AKA decadentmousse's b-day gift~</p>
            </blockquote>





	Interdimensional Slipstream

**Author's Note:**

  * For [decadent_mousse](https://archiveofourown.org/users/decadent_mousse/gifts).



> Okay, so I offered a birthday gift to mousse thinking I could write it real quick. Muses took this as permission to run away with this whole thing and gave me more than I bargained for in the first place. 
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> A Note: Hermann's pronouns might be a bit hard to read! Zhe reads as ZEE and Zher reads as ZER.

* * *

**-Jaega V System; Jaega Year 2278-**

Hermann is... curious, for lack of a better word when the humans start exploring the Jaega V system around them. Zher has heard tales (both horrifying as well as incredible) about human beings. They call their exploration pods Shatterdomes and the brave souls who go out into space Rangers. But Hermann digresses, seeing as zhe's favorite human is neither Ranger nor Marshal (leader of the entire Shatterdome). 

No, zhe's favorite by far is the human that runs the Science Division. The human is small and squeaky, though the least offensive to zhe's incredible senses. The other humans call him (oh humans and their necessity for labeling things) Dr. Giezler or Newt. 

Tendo brushes against zhe's gossamer fins while pressing against zher's raised mental shields to let him in. Hermann raises a brow behind the visor zhe is wearing, the razor-thin neonano crystal flaring gold in response to the question. 

**_Yes, Tendo?_**

_We've got permission to initiate contact._

**_Ah. Your unilateral translation device?_**

_Working like a charm. Humans are so weird._ Tendo flashes him a smile with sharp canines, the rest blunt due to Tendo's sub-species feeding on stray asteroids and small space scatra. Zhe offers one as well, zher's teeth a mix of both shredding and cutting that would likely scare a human. (Hermann feeds on space iundrun and nebulae gasses; the humans would call them whales.)

**_I suppose by their standards we're ... shall we say aggressive-looking?_ **

_Hmm. Can't be helped, I guess. Deactivating pulse orb._ Tendo shuts down the energy field that keeps them hidden from the Shatterdome and immediately, the plasma ray guns are pointed at them. _Oh Galaxia. They're a little more advanced than I figured._

**_If you panic, they shoot. Stay still and turn on your bioluminescence._** Hermann **almost** rolls zher's eyes but refrains. **_I will handle the talking. You'll blabber them to death._**

"What are you?" The sharp voice holds weight to it, a sense of command. "This is Shatterdome Hong Kong and I ask that you identify yourself." 

"Certainly, Shatterdome. We are, by your terms, merfolk." 

"We?" The plasma guns zero in on Hermann's bioluminescence, the crackling of the substance audible even from the distance zher has on the ship. 

"There are two of us. We were sent ahead as an envoy to your ship. Our leaders wish to make contact with humans on a trade basis." Hermann states with quiet assurance. 

"Trade? Very well. You may come aboard." The rays power down with a soft -beww- that causes Hermann's poison spikes to slide back into zhe's forearms. "The Bay will open in a few moments." 

The underside of the Shatterdome slowly opens, the utter silence of the hinges indicating good maintenance. Hermann and Tendo glide through the winds, flaring out their back fins to stop directly under the Bay entrance. Hermann goes first as a precaution as zher can and does have bio-weaponry to defend zherself. No one is there to greet them so they float into the Bay. 

Tendo preens as the doors close, making sure that he looks good for the humans. Hermann snorts wryly, knowing that zhe's torn fin will generate stares regardless if zher grooms or not. 

There is a hiss as what smells like a mix of oxygen and nitrogen is pumped into the room. Hermann twists zher's tail to float along the air-currents, watching as the humans come out in armor with plasma mini-guns. Zher cannot blame them; if the Jaega are the first sentient life-forms they've come across then the humans are in for a surprise. 

"Which of you is the leader of the scout team?" The voice, coming from a very sturdy form, inquires with the same authority. This one must be the Marshal. 

"I am. Commander Hermann at your service. May I have your title?" Hermann asks as zher winds zhe's way down through the minimal currents to settle in front of the Marshal. 

"Marshal Pentecost. You said something about... trade?" The male (Hermann is guessing here) removes his helmet and the face is as sturdy as the body, intelligence glimmering in the brilliant russet gaze. 

"Yes. Information as well as resources. You are currently in the Jaega V system, so named due to the Jaega species such as Quin-Commander Tendo and myself." 

"Jaega? I've seen one of you hanging around Science Division." Zhe's favorite speaks up and Hermann purrs subsonically. Tendo flicks his fin in surprise but keeps it to himself. 

"Ah, that would be me. I was sent first and Quin-Commander Tendo second. Quin-Commander Tendo will be familiarizing himself with your crew. I will be accompanying your... I do not have your title." Hermann hates playing dumb but it's necessary. 

"Oh! It's Dr. Newton Giezler. I'd prefer Newt, if Jaega go for casual interactions?" Newton (humans have two names?!) asks with wide green eyes. 

"We do, though only amongst friends. I would allow such an interaction with you... Newt?" 

_Uh-oh._

**_What?_**

_You like this one, don't you?_ Tendo flicks his fore fins with a teasing tone. _Can't blame you. He is cute._

Hermann growls on a frequency humans can't hear but they can feel and swats at Tendo's fluke with zhe's own fins. **_That is none of your business._**

_Chill out Hermann. Humans are pretty compatible with Jaega. Bio-scans say so. You're lucky you fell for one that was so close._ Tendo huffs as he nudges Hermann's body length. _Go woo your human._

Zher sighs but allows that zhe would indeed be wooing the human even after negotiations are over. **_Very well._**

"Great. How are you speaking English, by the way?"

* * *

**-Shatterdome Hong Kong; December 21, 2278-**

Newt is in complete awe of the Jaega that had asked to come with him to Sci-Div. The Jaega, Hermann, apparently didn't have a gender according to human standards and went by zhe or zher for when pronouns were necessary. 

Hermann's incredibly beautiful. The armor zher is wearing glitters like the stars outside, resistant to both plasma and burst ignition. Newt's glancing at Hermann and is in utter awe of the floating, faintly glowing fins that allow Hermann to fly on minimalistic air currents. 

The pelvic area looks like that of a killer whale save that the white is actually shifting nebula colors since that's what Hermann's species of Jaega eat. The black fades up into pale pinkish skin that's surprisingly human. Hermann's hands are the same color as zher's lower half, again fading up into skin with tiny pinpricks of golden bioluminescence. Hermann has light brown hair in much the same place as people do and it lifts periodically on the subtle currents to reveal pointed glittery fins in place of ears. 

He's so fascinated by the comments Hermann makes that he almost runs into the automatic doors when Hermann describes hunting what sound like space whales called iundrun. 

"Newt?" The golden visor had lifted after the first few minutes and the topaz gaze lined with black winged eyeliner widens. "Are you ill?" 

"No. Just... lost in thought. So, you're saying that this neonano crystal allows you to see past your regular vision and enhances it even further?" Newt asks to take his mind off the fact that the Jaega is gorgeous and smart. 

"Exactly." Hermann has yet to smile with teeth, leading Newt to believe that there are some sharp teeth behind the thin lips. "I do have a sample for you to experiment with in your spare time. I do hope Quin-Commander Tendo is doing well. He tends to get excited when meeting new species..." 

"He-" Here Newt checks to see if that's the right pronoun, "Yeah, he'll be just fine. We pride ourselves on being a tolerant species." 

"That is good to know. Ah, Jaega are telepathic in nature. If I press against your mind you will feel it. I would not invade your privacy; most Jaega tend not to care if they invite themselves in." Zher sounds apprehensive at announcing that. 

"Which is why you two get sent instead? You seem a little... reserved." Newt points out as he settles into his chair and brings up his statistics on his hydroponics plants. 

"You could put it that way. The average Jaega is brash and quite bold. We swim in pods and they are usually familial units." Hermann murmurs with a raised brow, zher's lips pulling up into a wry smile. 

"So you're... the diplomatic ones?" 

"Correct." Hermann nods gravely as zher listens to him explain the science behind the water.

* * *

**-Shatterdome Hong Kong; Jaega Year 2279; Three Earth Months Later-**

Hermann has been made a crew member by Marshal Pentecost and Jaega Prime. Zher stays on as Jaega Ambassador (the official title) as well as (unofficially) the new Sci-Division officer. The Rangers have taken a shine to Tendo and give Hermann a wider berth as zher is the more deadly of the pair. 

Newt is open, loud and opinionated as opposed to his more reserved human compatriots. Hermann chuckles softly at the thought that it took an entirely different species to get zhe to see that it wasn't all bad. Zher hums softly as zhe travels the wide corridors of the Shatterdome, bumping into a human purely by accident. The human is short, stocky and smells incredibly much like Marshal Pentecost's SIC. 

"My apologies." 

"Jus' watch-Oh. Yer that alien my ol' man was talkin' about. Jaega, right?" 

"Yes. I am late for my meeting with Quin-Commander Tendo. Excuse me." Hermann projects through the translator, not wanting to interact with a human when zhe hasn't had the Jaega equivalent of breakfast yet. 

"What's got ye all pissy?" 

"Cadet Hansen, leave the Jaega be. I believe it's breakfast time for Commander Hermann." The SIC rounds the corner and saves his offspring through sheer force of will, pinning the smaller human with a stare as Hermann flickers past with a grateful nod. "Ye wanna piss off a creature three times yer size 'n poisonous t' boot? I could swear ye weren't raised Aussie if I wasn't here the entire time." 

"Oh." The sheepish realization happens before Hermann has left the hearing vicinity entirely. 

"Yer a drongo sometimes, ye know that?"

* * *

Hermann spirals into the solar winds outside of the Shatterdome, unhinging zhe's jaw to scoop up nebula gasses and swallow them. Zher then singles out a iundrun pup to eat with Tendo's help. 

**_Human cubs are rather... confrontational._**

_So you've met Chuck._ Tendo's laughing, his raised dorsal fin gleaming in the starlight. 

**_Yes. Is he always like that?_** Hermann asks with a small pulse of curiosity. 

_... Well, I haven't seen him make any other face besides sticking his tongue out at his father or giving the Marshal a stony face. The pheromones would suggest that he's still growing._

**_Mmm. That stage is hard across many borders, it seems. Should we bring Mako?_** Hermann asks and Tendo whirls around so fast to face zher that zhe can't help the giggles. 

_You are brilliant. If you weren't already dead-set on the human, I'd give you a nuzzle._ Tendo sends out short clicks, one long trill and a series of squeals across the vastness of space. Both of them hear Mako's excited clicks long before she's rushing past them while riding the fin of a driaol, flaring her strong fins to halt next to them. 

**You said something about a human? Are they not supposed to be terrifying?** Mako questions serenely. 

**_Well, there is a human... He's around your age and he seems to be, well, rather lonely._**

**It would be good to make friends with them. May I see this human?** She asks with a twirl of her fluke that spins her around. 

**_We might have to ask the SIC. Have you eaten?_** Hermann responds as zhe absently grooms her still-growing fins. They'll be magnificent when she's older but for now, they're itchy and very, very prone to flaking. She sighs in contentment as Tendo hails the Shatterdome to explain the new presence in Shatterdome space. 

**I have. Care to share any information on this place?**

**_Well, there is water aboard-_**

**Water? Is it like solar winds?** Mako presses back, her soft citrine eyes crinkling at the corners as she flashes her fangs. 

Zhe merely flicks her tail with one of zhe's own fins and continues zher's lecture, **_No. It's a liquid substance and it floats in space much like we do. Humans need it to survive..._**

* * *

Mako and Chuck get along like a house on fire (human idiom and zhe seems to be picking them up at an alarming rate). 

"Since when did Jaega allow their kids next to ours?" Newt inquires as they eat in the Mess Hall. Well, Newt does; Hermann's already eaten and is quite full. 

"She is one of the youngest Jaega and she... We lost her pod to a Kaiju attack. She is all that remains of a long matriarchal line which keeps our histories. The Archivist is raised on all Jaega planets but spends most of her time traveling between pods. Quin-Commander Tendo is the Keeper of the Archivist and her last living relative. I was brought in as her companion shortly after the attack." Hermann explains quietly as zhe watches Mako's face light up for the first time in many years. "Being the Archivist is a serious position and she has not been allowed to act like the cub she truly is. This will be good for her, I think." 

"Wow. So basically you're her guard." Newt sums it up rather well. "What are you doing on the Shatterdome if Mako's that important though?" 

"Diplomacy is my strong point. If Mako can make a connection, be it simple or more complex, then I will encourage it." 

"I've been meaning to ask and I hope to whatever higher being there is that this isn't offensive... What exactly is your species' policy on mating outside of said boundary?" Newt is practically whispering at this point and Hermann blinks so hard zher's third membrane slides across zher's eyes. "Umm, Hermann?" 

"Jaega are compatible with humans and most humanoid species." Hermann murmurs as zhe attempts to calm zher's pounding heart. "Any reason in particular?" 

"Asking for a lady friend. She's been chatting up Tendo a lot." Newt continues and Hermann's shoulders slump in both relief and disappointment. "Soooo, how does that work?" 

"Jaega genes allow for two possibilities; a Jaega or the species of the mate they're attached to. So either the cub is a Jaega or a human. No hybrids." Zher replies with a hum. 

"Oh. And does that apply to...?" 

"All Jaega can produce another Jaega regardless of self-identified gender or lack thereof." Hermann admits with a flush of cerulean heating up zher's cheeks. 

"... I stepped in space poop, didn't I?"

* * *

**-Shatterdome Hong Kong; March 5, 2279; Sci-Division Rec. Room-**

Newt facepalms as he sits across from Alison Choi. 

"I have _officially ruined_ any possible avenue of talking to Hermann ever again." he groans behind his hands. 

"And why's that?" She prys his hands away from his face to drop a kiss on his forehead, leaving behind a lipstick smear. 

"I asked about Jaega reproduction... Hermann said that all Jaega could breed and I quote, 'regardless of self-identified gender or lack thereof.' Zher also mentioned that they're compatible with most humanoid species, including humans." Newt mumbles as he pokes at the poly-carbonate table they're seated at currently. 

"You asked about gender to the Jaega who has a non-functional relationship with said binary. You stepped in space shit." 

"Yeah." 

"Well damn. Guess I'm gonna have to ask Tendo how to get you out of Hermann's shit-hole and into zhe's bed, hmm?" Alison replies with a pat to Newt's fluffy bed head.

Newt coughs and turns bright pink at what she says. "What?!" 

"Honey you're super obvious, even to Tendo and he's an alien with no human concepts other than what he picks up from me plus the crew." Alison favors him with a raised manicured brow and Newt's forehead thunks against the poly-carbonate table. "I'll fix it but you're the one who has to apologize." 

"Okay." 

"Love you." 

"Yeah. Thanks."

* * *

**-Shatterdome Hong Kong; Jaega Year 2279; Jaega Quarters-**

_Hermann?_ Tendo presses comfort down their mental links and Hermann lets him as zhe wallows. 

**_Oh why did it have to be that human?_** Hermann sighs as zher settles onto the warm covers and buries zhe's face into the pillows. 

_Is this about Newt?_

**_... He asked me about Jaega reproduction._** Hermann looks up from zhe's pillow to see Tendo has also settled on the bed, his glowing teal tail wrapping around Hermann's glimmering jet one to comfort zher. 

_ouch. You okay?_

**_I... Should I be upfront that I could want..._** Hermann hesitates and Tendo's tail squeezes a little tighter. 

_Your old pod sucked space port exhaust. You're allowed to be happy, Hermann._ Tendo points out as he rubs cheeks with Hermann. 

**_You... You think of me as a sibling?_** Zhe tentatively brushes back and squeaks when Tendo does it again and even softer than before. 

_Duh. Now, go get your human. Mine's rather insistent that you two make a great Mate pair._ Tendo huffs as he unwinds their tails and flicks his tail to float again. _Good luck._

* * *

Hermann actively uses the wind currents on the Shatterdome to locate Newt via smell. He's in the Sci-Division but alone. 

"It has come to my attention that you... did not _intend_ to step in space shit." Hermann projects through the translator, hope making zher's voice waver a little. 

"No! I mean-Yeah. I shouldn't have asked it like that. I'm sorry." Newt's brilliant malachite eyes also looked hopeful. "I, uh-" 

"I was wondering if you had time for a date. A-A human one. With me." Hermann blurts out. They stare at one another as the words sink in but it's Newt who snaps out of it first to take Hermann's hand and lace their fingers together. 

"I'd like to go on that date." 

"Then I am glad for your company." Hermann purrs as they watch the stars go by.

* * *

**-Shatterdome Hong Kong; Jaega Year 2279; Rec. Room 22-**

Hermann was forever grateful for Officer Alison Choi. She had taught zhe the basics of human etiquette and how to use utensils. 

"Hermann, if I may?" Alison (she had insisted) asks as she puts away the cutlery until tonight. 

"You may." 

"Newt's had a lot of people bail on him." She's serious, which is rare for this particular human. "They like to string him along and then leave him just as he's ready to commit." 

"My dear lady, I can assure you that Jaega do not have such practices. Once a Mate is chosen, it is for a very long lifetime. We live for millennia and I am barely cracking my third. Tendo is not much older in our terms." Hermann reassures her, understanding her worry. 

"Millennia? Then... Mating outside of your species isn't encouraged, is it?" Alison is shrewd and sharp. She will be good for Tendo though zhe's brother may not know it just yet. 

"We pass on our longevity to the Mate in question. As I said, there is little chance of ever being drawn away." Zher hums as Alison hugs zhe close. She smells of relief and salt, which means tears in humans. "Are you alright?" 

"Fine. Newt's finally gotten himself a keeper." 

"Well, Alison, I believe I can say the same for my brother."

* * *

The day continues to pass at an alarming rate. By the time Newt and Hermann are relieved for their shift change, both of them have been stealing glances at the other for nearly half an hour. They separate at the auto-door, both of them still blushing whenever they do catch a glance. 

Tendo whisks zhe away to their quarters, settling zher into a chair and pulling out their Solar Function set with a happy hum. 

_When was the last time either of us set fin in a Solar Function?_

**_2272\. Mako's Integration to the Archive, I believe._**

_Mmm, you did dazzle Jaega Tetrad with your fins._

**_She tried to bite them off. Damn deep-space Jaega and thier need for vaguely cannibalistic Mates._** Hermann huffs at the memory of literally avoiding that female for the rest of the Function by hiding behind Mako. 

_This one won't though. If anything, he'll be petting you as softly as a gas cloud._ Tendo points out as he finishes his deft handiwork. _There._

Hermann gasps both mentally and physically at the sight in front of zhe. Wide topaz eyes are accentuated with black and golden eyeliner, the design repeated on zher's jet-colored forearms and tail. 

The thick sparkling blue tunic drapes just right across zhe's torso when it's tied with a golden sash that trails across zher's tail and falls gracefully over zhe's first side fin. 

**_Oh Galactica... Is that me?_**

_Sure is. You're probably going to make his entire day dressed like that._ Tendo chuckles softly, gently brush a stray strand of hair that keeps falling in front of zhe's eyes due to the visor. _Leave the visor up._

**_I will._ **

* * *

Zher cautiously floats in front of the auto-door for Rec. Room 22, nibbling on zhe's bottom lip until the door opens from the other side with Newt smiling at zher. 

"Oh wow. Tendo wasn't kidding when he said you're gorgeous." Newt compliments zhe and zhe flushes a light blue. "Does the gold wash off?" 

"No. It takes a bit of work to get it to smear at all. You may touch it all you like." Hermann offers zher arm and Newt runs an index finger across the paint in a diagonal direction. 

"That is incredible. And the fabric?" The excitement in Newt's tone makes Hermann purr just under human range. 

"Synthetic star-dust woven into threads and then cloth. Theta K is the planetary repository for actual star-dust." Hermann admits as they head for the table. 

"We're barely scraping the surface of space, aren't we?" Newt shakes his head as he leads zher over to the table, a bubble of what looks like nebulae gasses in a neonano crystal ball along with Newt's human food. 

"Jaega V is a good place to start. We're a rather social species as a whole and we do better with trade than most." Zhe replies with a minute shrug. "What are you eating?" 

"This? Umm, it's a traditional German dish from Earth. We call it jäger schnitzel. It's meat dipped in egg and then fried in oil. It's covered in roots and then a sauce so it tastes better. These are potatoes, more roots, and they're mashed and formed into balls like these. These ones are knödel." Newt explains while pointing out each one.

"What does jäger mean?" Hermann admits to being curious about the various human languages (there are so many varieties that it's a little difficult to keep up with). 

"Hunter. Surprisingly enough, we spell it almost exactly like your species name except we use 'er' instead of an 'a'." He replies while cutting into the schnitzel. Zhe sips at the gasses and hums thoughtfully. "So, what are you eating?" 

"Nebulae gasses. Each nebula tastes different. It is not an easy flavor to describe nor will I attempt it. They're poisonous for humans to breathe in, however, so I would keep to your side of the table while I eat them." Zher offers as zhe continues to eat. 

"And the second course?" 

"That you may eat safely. It's baked iundrun." Hermann chuckles softly at the thought of Newt eating iundrun the way zhe does. 

"Baked space whale. Not a sentence I ever expected to say on a date," Newt laughs and it's bright as well as open. 

"Neither have I. How is your project going?" 

"You mean the one I won't let you look at?" Newt teases with a smile. "It's just about done." 

"Ah. Well, Mako and I were debating on what it might be." Hermann comments after finishing the gasses. 

"You mean you asked Mako to take a peek for you." He remarks after a swallow of water. 

"True. Is it... for me?" Hermann inquires as zhe starts in on the iundrun. 

"Maybe." The sly smile Newt give zher afterwards implies that it is. 

"I see. Would you like to try?" Zher offers a bite of flaking iundrun and Newt takes the bite off with a show of scraping his blunt teeth along the tines. 

"'Sgood." Newt mumbles around the mouthful. "Definitely not what I expected but good. Wanna try some of mine?" 

"Of course." Hermann delicately pulls the thicker meat off of the fork without showing zher's serrated fangs. The flavor is unlike anything zher has ever eaten and zhe likes it. "Oh. That is very interesting." 

"Good or bad?" 

"Good. The closest flavor I could compare it to is a mix of spun hydrogen and comet stream." Zher observes with a slight furrow between zher's brows. 

"Wanna feed each other bites of our meals?" Newt suggests and Hermann perks up. 

"Oh yes please."

* * *

The meal ends with dessert (an odd human concept but one zhe can understand); ice cream for Newt and a small comet heart for Hermann. They eat and then clear away their dishes, Hermann flushing cerulean every time they brush fingers. 

Newt escorts zhe to zher's quarters and pauses before the auto-door. 

"Can I kiss you?" Newt blurts and Hermann chuckles as it's not zhe who did it. "Or do Jaega not kiss?" 

"We do. I'm just amused that you were the one who blurted the question this time." Hermann assures with a smile. Newt goes on his tip-toes and Hermann floats down to meet him halfway, the small press of lips fleeting. Hermann huffs, pulling Newt in for a 'proper' Earth kiss while being careful about zhe's teeth as they pull back. "Same time next Earth week?"

"You bet your gorgeous face I'll be there." Newt promises with slightly swollen lips. 

"May I have another kiss before you go?" 

"Oh yeah." They kiss for far longer this time, pulling back when Newt is completely out of breath. "Wow." 

Hermann purrs loudly this time, wrapping zhe's extensive tail around one of Newt's legs as zher kisses him again and again, eliciting delightful laughter from zhe's soon-to-be-Mate. 

Yes, this one was _definitely_ Hermann's favorite.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry it's late mousse! They just wouldn't let go. Feedback is welcome~


End file.
